Just what is a "knifemaker"?

R.W.Clark

R.W.Clark

Joined
Apr 30, 2001
Messages
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Normally when I tell people that I make custom knives they ask "how do you make a knife?". My pat answer is "I make the very well". If they push beyond the joke, I know that they are truely interested so I breifly explain the process.

Well, the weekend I was asked what I did for a living and I answer "I am a knifemaker". He then surprized me by asking "what exactly is a knifemaker". Of course I gave him a very simple answer and the converstation moved on.

But that made me think, exactly what is a "knifemaker". Really, its not a simple answer. It seems that everyday I add a differant hat to the long list.

It would seem that knifemakers are

machinests
metalurgists
blacksmiths (some)
whitesmiths
chemists
leatherworkers
woodworkers
carpenters
repairmen
maintainance men
secretaries
electricians
janitors
salesmen
clerks
computor jockeys
welders
and many many more

All rolled into one job!

As I sit here learning how to write HTML text in order to build my own web site the point really seems to hit home.

Forget the Peace Corps, knifemaking is the hardest job you will ever love.
 
And thats the TRUTH:p :p :p :p (in the famous words from Edith Ann from the show Laugh In...Boy am I showing my age here)
Most people just don't realize this either.

You might be a Knifemaker when:
"You see a old car in a field,and instead of wanting to restore it you wonder what kind of metal is in the springs"

"You offer to dig that ugly root out of a friends yard that is cracking there sidewalk,so you can have it for a knife handle"

"When you are out deer hunting,you let a 10 point buck walk past you because you have noticed this really cool tree and are wondering what it would look like as a knife handle"

"You stop on the side of the road to pick up a old bone from a road killed animal that you have watched rot away,so you can have it for a knife handle"

"All your best buddies have quit calling or stopping by the house,because they are tired of talking about nothing but Knives"

Then you might be a Knife maker.....

Anybody else think of anymore to add to this...Jeff FoxWorthy could have a ball with us you know..:D
Bruce
 
All the neighborhood dogs come over to see where that bone smell is coming from.

If you are found cooking knives blades instead of cookies

If there are little worn out folded up peices of wet or dry sandpaper everywhere in the house.

If there is a worn spot on the flat counter top surface next to the kitchen sink

If the is ferric cloride next to the microwave oven.

If the UPS man stays around to see if you catch yourself on fire again.
 
Knifemakers/smiths are the people that make the things I dream about owning. I don't know all the things you go through to make that happen, but I want to thank you.
 
I can tell that you are moving to the next level of knife making when you would rather start on a new knife then finish the three that are sitting on the bench. -chris
 
You might be a knifemaker if:

Your cat as an odd hairdoo from the time he came to say hello while you were forging and his tail stuck up in front of the forge.

When you see wrecks in races instead of thinking "I hope the driver is ok" you wish you were there to grab up some of those carbon fiber body panels

You've ever finished grinding a blade and THEN noticed that you were missing a good sized chunk of finger somewhere.

You've taken samples of all the trees in the neighborhood to see how they'd work for knife handles

You have a large collection of knives with the ends bent or broken off

Nothing in your house or shop is good enough the way it comes from the factory. Everything you own is customized in some way.

You compare beautiful women to knives and knives to women.

You feel it's ok to talk to a knife.

No matter what the subject of a conversation you can and most likely will manage to get some sort of knife content in there

You've ever spent more time and money doing something the "easy" way than you would have if you just did it right
 
These are getting Great...
And no matter how funny they are most of them are the truth..

Hey Belstain,Nice to see someone here from back home.I lived in Ashland when I was a little kid..
Bruce
 
Dang Sylvester,I may forget about eating when working on my knives...But NEVER that:eek:
In Fact Donna has said more than once that that is the only reason she can get me out of the shop:p he-he
Bruce
 
you know you're a knifemaker when:

the local fire department honks their horns and waves at you as they pass your house while you have your propane forge fired up!

when your bird dogs come to to the shop to lick your apron just at the same time you are grinding down a horn handle.

when you made your ol' fishing buddy that has a prosthesis for a leg promise to put you in his will to receive the metal leg--gotta check to see if it would make good guard material.

when you've burned up two aprons while trying to get the guage settings on a lit oxy-acetelene torch.

when you show up at white elephant sales at senior citizen retirement villages to see if you can find the right configuration in exercise bicycles up for sale for possible material to convert to a homemade grinder.

you're wife knows better to call you into her bedroom when she hears the grinder going.

you're comparing scars with other patients waiting in the emergency room--but you know how you got each one of yours!

when you ask your neighbor if its okay if you scour their backyard for large bones their dogs have not consumed--need new handle material.

when even your mother-in-law does not approach your shop area when she visits and hears "funny noises" emitting.

when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't breath because of the "black" goobers in your nose.

when you go to the beach on vacation and in addition to your milk white skin your body is also hairless on both forearms, both calves, and a suspicious strip of hair is missing off your belly.

when in an amourous moment you reach over to remove that cute little teddy bear outfit your wife is wearing and you snag it on the skin hooks on your rough hands.

when you've finished a blade and have just sharpened it and then attempt to shave off the same calous on the opposite hand ...and can't understand why it won't heal!

when you pay more attention to the ingredients you put into your special "quenching" goop then you pay to what's in the stew that is being served to you for dinner.

when you recognize the voices of television stars on sit-coms than recognizing their faces.

when your neighbors tell you wife that they are concerned about the "funny smells" coming from your shop!

My views anyway--Dan:cool: :cool: :cool:
 
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